"Our engine is definitely portable, it could be operated on many platforms, but that's where our market is," EA Maxis lead producer Kip Katsarelis tells GamesIndustry International speaking about PC gaming. "We're still seeing the PC market is not dead, it's very much alive. Blizzard's shown quite a bit of success with their recent Diablo launch, The Sims is highly successful, so there's a market there, we've got an audience there that wants games on that platform, and we are still a PC house and will continue to be so."

Jerykk wrote on Aug 31, 2012, 23:17:When you consider all those facts and the generally poor critical reception of the PS3 version, it's actually quite plausible that the PC version outsold the PS3 version. Outselling the X360 is a little less likely but not as unrealistic as you seem to believe.

I said myself that it sold well on PC, and I know everything you just wrote. I still stand by the statement that thinking it sold more than both consoles combined is quite unrealistic, and would classify selling more than the Xbox version roughly the same. Selling more than the PS3 version would not surprise me.

I'm going to agree with this.As far as the PC has risen relative to the 360, I still don't think any major title has sold better on the PC. There are absolutely more 360s out there than PCs with decent graphics cards.

Jerykk wrote on Aug 31, 2012, 23:17:When you consider all those facts and the generally poor critical reception of the PS3 version, it's actually quite plausible that the PC version outsold the PS3 version. Outselling the X360 is a little less likely but not as unrealistic as you seem to believe.

I said myself that it sold well on PC, and I know everything you just wrote. I still stand by the statement that thinking it sold more than both consoles combined is quite unrealistic, and would classify selling more than the Xbox version roughly the same. Selling more than the PS3 version would not surprise me.

Slashman wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 08:49:Why is that unlikely? Skyrim hasn't left the top 20 Steam charts since it launched last November. Console sales for a game peter out very quickly. While they may not have outsold both platforms combined(and I am not sure they haven't), they probably outsold each console by a large margin.

Oblivion on Xbox outsold the PC version "many times over" according to a developer quote. In addition, Todd Howard when speaking of mods said "90% of our audience is on the consoles."

I would guess Skyrim sold on PC surprisingly well, hence all the post-release support, but saying it sold more than either console, especially both combined, is quite unrealistic.

Oblivion was basically a launch title for the X360, so it's unsurprising that it sold especially well on that platform. That 90% quote is years old as well (I believe Howard said it during a Fallout 3 interview back in 2008). I'm pretty sure Skyrim PC has outsold all of Bethesda's previous PC games, hence the surprising amount of post-release support. During the Bethesda mod presentation (I think), Howard referred to Skyrim PC players in the millions. Skyrim has been in the Steam top 10 list every week since the game was released last November. That's 10 months. Then you have the rapid growth of the PC market in recent years (thanks to digital distribution, which wasn't even remotely as popular when Oblivion and FO3 were released) vs the decline of the console market as this generation nears its end.

When you consider all those facts and the generally poor critical reception of the PS3 version, it's actually quite plausible that the PC version outsold the PS3 version. Outselling the X360 is a little less likely but not as unrealistic as you seem to believe.

MattyC wrote on Aug 31, 2012, 11:45:Game preservation worries for B.net titles is more than a little unfair. You can still login to Diablo 1 last I tried. That is from 1996. Blizzard could always change, but as of now they have a long record of backing their online services.

Jerykk wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 05:06:Unfortunately, D3's 6+ million sales don't really suggest that consumers are against always-online DRM. Rather, it suggests that they don't care about DRM at all provided that your game has sufficient hype and marketing.

I would say people hate DRM when it doesn't work, but don't care when it does. If Diablo 3 launched smoothly I would agree no one cared, but since it had a rough first week I would guess some people who normally wouldn't care might be a little wary of future always online requirements, at least for a little while.

Probably not though.

Honestly those of us worried about DRM and game preservation are so in the minority I am surprised publishers ever comment on the matter at all.

Game preservation worries for B.net titles is more than a little unfair. You can still login to Diablo 1 last I tried. That is from 1996. Blizzard could always change, but as of now they have a long record of backing their online services.

Beamer wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 08:33:I thought this SimCity wasn't online only, but required an online connection to start, but doesn't need to persistently be there. Not sure that's an important distinction, but some seem to care.

It's definitely forced multiplayer and always online. Maybe they're not going to kick you if you lose connection but the social aspect is required.

Beamer wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 08:33:I thought this SimCity wasn't online only, but required an online connection to start, but doesn't need to persistently be there. Not sure that's an important distinction, but some seem to care.

It's definitely forced multiplayer and always online. Maybe they're not going to kick you if you lose connection but the social aspect is required.

Slashman wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 08:49:Why is that unlikely? Skyrim hasn't left the top 20 Steam charts since it launched last November. Console sales for a game peter out very quickly. While they may not have outsold both platforms combined(and I am not sure they haven't), they probably outsold each console by a large margin.

Oblivion on Xbox outsold the PC version "many times over" according to a developer quote. In addition, Todd Howard when speaking of mods said "90% of our audience is on the consoles."

I would guess Skyrim sold on PC surprisingly well, hence all the post-release support, but saying it sold more than either console, especially both combined, is quite unrealistic.

Jerykk wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 05:06:Unfortunately, D3's 6+ million sales don't really suggest that consumers are against always-online DRM. Rather, it suggests that they don't care about DRM at all provided that your game has sufficient hype and marketing.

I would say people hate DRM when it doesn't work, but don't care when it does. If Diablo 3 launched smoothly I would agree no one cared, but since it had a rough first week I would guess some people who normally wouldn't care might be a little wary of future always online requirements, at least for a little while.

Probably not though.

Honestly those of us worried about DRM and game preservation are so in the minority I am surprised publishers ever comment on the matter at all.

People have estimated the PC version has outsold both consoles combined.

That's fairly unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if it at least outsold the PS3 version. I do wonder why Bethesda hasn't released any platform-specific sales figures yet. Maybe their DLC exclusivity contract with MS prohibits them from announcing sales figures if the Xbox version isn't the top-seller. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if such a clause existed. That's how MS rolls.

Why is that unlikely? Skyrim hasn't left the top 20 Steam charts since it launched last November. Console sales for a game peter out very quickly. While they may not have outsold both platforms combined(and I am not sure they haven't), they probably outsold each console by a large margin.

You both overestimate Steam sales and underestimate Xbox 360 sales.

So why don't you enlighten us as to the actual sales numbers. Since I'm sure whatever you pull out of your ass is valid...

I didn't claim to have them. You're the one with this "large margin" stuff based upon being high on the Steam charts. But it was reported that it sold 3.5MM 360 versions in 48 hours, and the first 360 shipment was 7MM. Source.

Still think there's some "large margin." Use some common sense: it was the biggest Xbox game of the last 12 months. Do you really, genuinely believe the biggest hit on the 360 was outsold by the PC version? There's no way any PC game is selling as high as the biggest 360 game. Now, are total PC sales above total Xbox sales? Maybe. But the highest star on the 360 is definitely shining brighter than the highest star on the PC, if only because more people have 360s than have decent graphics cards.

People have estimated the PC version has outsold both consoles combined.

That's fairly unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if it at least outsold the PS3 version. I do wonder why Bethesda hasn't released any platform-specific sales figures yet. Maybe their DLC exclusivity contract with MS prohibits them from announcing sales figures if the Xbox version isn't the top-seller. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if such a clause existed. That's how MS rolls.

Why is that unlikely? Skyrim hasn't left the top 20 Steam charts since it launched last November. Console sales for a game peter out very quickly. While they may not have outsold both platforms combined(and I am not sure they haven't), they probably outsold each console by a large margin.

You both overestimate Steam sales and underestimate Xbox 360 sales.

So why don't you enlighten us as to the actual sales numbers. Since I'm sure whatever you pull out of your ass is valid...

People have estimated the PC version has outsold both consoles combined.

That's fairly unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if it at least outsold the PS3 version. I do wonder why Bethesda hasn't released any platform-specific sales figures yet. Maybe their DLC exclusivity contract with MS prohibits them from announcing sales figures if the Xbox version isn't the top-seller. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if such a clause existed. That's how MS rolls.

Why is that unlikely? Skyrim hasn't left the top 20 Steam charts since it launched last November. Console sales for a game peter out very quickly. While they may not have outsold both platforms combined(and I am not sure they haven't), they probably outsold each console by a large margin.

Jerykk wrote on Aug 30, 2012, 05:06:Unfortunately, D3's 6+ million sales don't really suggest that consumers are against always-online DRM. Rather, it suggests that they don't care about DRM at all provided that your game has sufficient hype and marketing.

There's certainly some truth to that but most companies don't have Blizzards reputation and history of titles to back them up. Maxis could probably do it if they market the Sims portion of the title enough though.

People have estimated the PC version has outsold both consoles combined.

That's fairly unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised if it at least outsold the PS3 version. I do wonder why Bethesda hasn't released any platform-specific sales figures yet. Maybe their DLC exclusivity contract with MS prohibits them from announcing sales figures if the Xbox version isn't the top-seller. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if such a clause existed. That's how MS rolls.

Why is that unlikely? Skyrim hasn't left the top 20 Steam charts since it launched last November. Console sales for a game peter out very quickly. While they may not have outsold both platforms combined(and I am not sure they haven't), they probably outsold each console by a large margin.

I thought this SimCity wasn't online only, but required an online connection to start, but doesn't need to persistently be there. Not sure that's an important distinction, but some seem to care.

I disagree with everyone claiming the online is shoe-horned in, anyway. I know that, during my glory days of SimCity 2000, I would have loved the option to build a city next to my friends' cities. It's limited, but the ability to send more crime or the occasional tsunami to them would make it all worthwhile to me.